Time and Time Again
by Jadan
Summary: It's seven years since Chihiro last saw Haku... and things are changing... but will she forget him that easily?


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"Will you come see me?"

"I will."

"Promise?"

"Promise."

Chihiro shook her head briefly, jerking back to the present with a faint sigh. Those words have been haunting her for years now. She glanced around the classroom, tapping her pencil idly against the top of her desk. Saniiro, her best friend glanced back over at her, eyes wide and startled at the grimace pasted on her face. He nudged her with his elbow, and coughed to get her attention. Her dark eyes slid towards him, a brow arching as she pushed back a lock of long hair. Leaning closer to her, he eyed the teacher droning on and on up front. "What's up?" he hissed in her ear, as she stared quickly at him. Her shoulders shrugged; clothed in the green fabric of the school uniform and she made a face at him.

"Why?" She whispered back, pencil paused of its continual tapping. Saniiro made a face back at her and he opened his mouth to say something just as the bell rang. Chihiro gathered her books up, stood and quickly merged into the crowd of students flowing out of the room. She glanced over her shoulder at Saniiro still standing there, a bemused expression on his face. Weaving through the crowds, she worked her way to her locker, and she opened it. Books were tossed recklessly into the neat stack already there and she paused shortly, staring at the picture that was tacked upon the locker door. It was a drawing, of a boy who looked a few years older than ten. His dark green eyes were serious and large, a hint of a smile on his lips. Chihiro missed him so much, and she sighed as she quickly closed her locker door.

A few things to finish up, was what he told her, and she frowned at that as she began her way back down the hall. A day hadn't gone by these past seven years when she didn't think of him, when she didn't look around in throngs for his familiar features. Would he be changed now? Handsome as a River Spirit would be, or would he have the awkward looks of a teenager as most boys do in this world?

Her gaze flitted around, landing on her best friend standing anxiously at the door. Saniiro was the first person she met when she moved here. He was her next-door neighbor; an impish boy of ten with his dark purplish eyes gleaming with amusement and his dark locks muddy from play. She never thought that day, too sad on missing Haku; that this boy would become her best friend. He was a great guy though, Chihiro wasn't complaining. He had that tender and sweet side to him, while still maintaining a tough guy image. Plus he made her laugh. That was always great to her.

She sighed, hefting the few books in her arms as she continued to walk down the hallway towards him. He had noticed her almost immediately, and gave her a bright smile as the other students flowing in and out jostled them. "History class then?" he asked as his brow arched, pulling on her arm to bring her next to him against the wall.

"As always," Chihiro wrinkled her nose in disgust as they made their way down the stairs and towards the opposite end of the school.

"Don't worry… we only have two more weeks of school left and then there's summer vacation. What are you going to do?" Saniiro tilted his head and raked fingers through purple streaked hair that oddly enough matched his eyes. Chihiro laughed, she couldn't help herself. He always talked so fast, bouncing from subject to subject.

"Probably haunt around that old train station. It's fun there," she said, bobbing her head lightly and stared straight ahead. She could only pray that he wouldn't ask to come with, as she was still trying to figure a way to get back to the bathhouse and Haku. 

A brow arched again in question as they both stopped at the door leading into Chihiro's next class. "How come you never invite me to come with?" Saniiro asked, almost forlornly, and his head dropped to study the floor. Chihiro simply shrugged and sighed as she shifted her books from side to side. "Here…" he looked up again, shoving a small box into her palm. "Happy Anniversary…"

Chihiro blinked, obviously bemused as her best friend turned on his heel, melting into the crowd. "Anniversary?" she whispered before wincing. How could she have forgotten?! It had been seven years today that she moved here. Tugging on her ponytail in distress, she headed for her seat, staring curiously at the white box the whole while. She still had a few minutes before the bell rang, she noted quietly. Finally, she lifted the lid and peered inside. On soft white tissue paper was a silver charm bracelet, gracefully coiled amid itself to fit the box. Chihiro lifted it with a soft sigh of delight and a lone charm jingled and flashed in the sunlight. She tilted her head, bringing it closer to stare at it before gasping softly. A dragon was the charm, a river god dragon to be precise, so eloquently etched and made that she almost believed it to stretch and move right there in her palm. She inspected it closer, her face blanching. It was Haku, she was sure of it.


End file.
